( SDforward )

Comments made by SDforward

Thank you firefighters and government officials! It's easy to complain when something goes wrong, but when something bad (in this case really bad) doesn't happen, we need to commend those who prepared and made us all safer.

It still boggles my mind that human beings are choosing to live in a more hospitable and dangerous planet, especially a country like the U.S. that has already met its basic needs (to put it mildly) and can afford to shape the world we want to live in.

Wish we could divide the world so that those who choose not to believe in climate change or to do nothing about it could live in an environment created by that, and the rest of us could change our behavior and policies to protect the one world we know. Alas, we're all in it together ;-(

I hope the City and other organizations will demand their funds back if what they were used on cannot be salvaged, especially since it appears so much went to individuals and marketing services with nothing to show for it! Our leader need to demand accountability, not reward people for not performing/delivering.

As tragic as this accident was, I don't understand why the Federal government (through BLM) is paying out. All they did was give a permit to a private organization to use its land. I'm tired of the Federal gov't being a cash cow just because they take a lot of taxpayer money. There is no reason we (taxpayers) should be making these families millionaires because their family members decided to witness a dangerous event in the desert or because the event organizer was deficient in keeping it safe.

The original article states: "The BLM issued a statement saying safety was the responsibility of the race organizer, South El Monte-based Mojave Desert Racing. MDR's permit required racers to travel 15 mph or less when they were within 50 feet of fans, and allowed no more than 300 spectators for the event, the agency said."

Unfortunately, the majority of people do not think about (ignorance) or care (self-centeredness) about how their purchases and their waste stream impacts others, wildlife, and the environment. Smart laws and adding a financial consideration to people's wasteful habits is the only way. Let's stop making it free and easy to continue on the path of destroying our earth and making it less habitable and livable for others.

Complaining about 10 cents a bag, when often bags aren't even necessary or reusable bags are only $1 or free, is a concern that holds no merit in our society that is too often wasteful and impacting our planet like there's no tomorrow.

The city should only cover defense fees for Filner if he is found not guilty. If found guilty, why should taxpayers foot the bill? Hasn't Filner already done enough harm to the city and cost us millions of dollars (in special election costs, lost gov't productivity, etc.)?

It's frustrating how personal accountability is so absent in our society for people with power or money. Look at Wall Street -- executives and employees who exploited people and the economy got away with riches (sure, they may have lost their jobs, but they made loads of $ in the process), while their companies were often left with any penalties. In the end, not only is this unfair, but it creates a system in which people know they will get away with things as long as they are aligned with an organization, even if it doesn't condone their actions.

Ultimately, justice is about holding people accountable, not organizations that are not even linked to the individual anymore.

Reason and the potential goodness of human nature is enough to bring people together in a positive community (which the humanist Sunday Assembly seeks to create). No need to to imagine a fantastical being and follow religious mandates to bring out the good in people and create a purposeful life. Looking forward to the Sunday Assembly taking off!

While religion is not inherently bad, not believing in God or religion does not mean someone cannot have a moral compass. Religion does not have a monopoly over goodness.